The present invention relates to guitar picks, and more particularly to picks designed to avoid rotation or sliding in the hand of a guitar player.
A guitar player often prefers to use a pick in strumming the strings of the instrument. The pick, which is usually held between the thumb and forefinger of the player's hand, is typically made of thin molded plastic and is generally triangular in shape, with at least one prominent point used in striking the strings.
The rotation and slippage of the guitar pick is a common problem among guitar players. After playing the instrument for a certain period of time, several conditions combine to cause the pick to slip from the grasp of the player. This slippage problem expresses itself in two distinct ways. First, the pick may rotate in the fingers of the player causing the point used for striking the strings to no longer be in proper position for accurate strumming. Secondly, the pick may slip entirely from the grasp of the player, oftentimes falling into the hollow body of the instrument and resulting in a prolonged delay in the performance.
Attempts to solve the slippage problem have focused on modifying the pick itself. For example, cork or sandpaper has been applied to the surface of the pick in an attempt to prevent slippage. Similarly, holes have been drilled in the pick at the point where the thumb and forefinger meet in order to produce a more secure grip on the pick.
These modifications have provided for inconsistent, and at best, temporary relief of the problem. Generally, these methods have insured a somewhat better grip on the pick, but the effects of perspiration and the force exerted on the pick due to striking it against the strings still result in slippage.
Furthermore, because of the persistence of this problem, the guitar player often tends to grip the pick very tightly in order to prevent slippage. It is not long before the fingers and the hand of the player become fatigued, he is unable to grip the pick securely, and slippage again occurs. The prior art picks have not dealt with this fatigue problem directly; thus, the above-described modifications again produce only temporary relief.
In summary, then, the primary disadvantages of prior art guitar picks are that they tend to rotate in the fingers of the player or slip entirely from his grasp. These problems result from the difficulty of securely holding the smooth plastic device while the fingers perspire and the hand is moving rapidly, the pick being in constant, forceful contact against the strings. Moreover, modification of the pick itself has provided at best only temporary relief from the rotation and slippage problems, as well as from fatigue.